Double Trouble
by Nina S Spice
Summary: The Stoll's move back to their mom's childhood home, surprised to find more than just a small town.


Melody Chapter One

"Mom I have to go!" I said as I grabbed my backpack and raced to the door.

"But sweetie, don't forget-"I heard her say as I slammed the door not wanting to hear her remind me of the appointment I had after school.

I jumped in my candy apple red car and pulled out of the drive way as fast as possible, kicking up gravel as I went. Eager to get away from mom as well for the first day of my junior year of high school. I zoomed passed the familiar buildings of my home town and whipped into the Ashford high parking lot. A slow smile spread across my face as I got out and gazed up at the two story red bricked building. This year life was going to change I could feel it in the air. I hurried passed my school mates scanning for my best friend as I went but I gave up as entered the building almost instinctively knowing where she would be. I found her in the library talking to Mrs. Vesper the librarian. "Hey Penny. Hello Mrs. Vesper." I said as I neared the front desk.

"Hello Melody." Mrs. Vesper pushed up her ever falling down glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"Hey Mel." Penny said as she bumped my shoulder.

"So girls how was your summer?" Mrs. Vesper said as she shuffled books around.

"It was okay nothing to big happen I stayed right here in our little town of Ashford for the whole summer, while Penny here abandoned me to trapes across country with her family." I sighed dramatically putting a hint of hatred in my voice for extra measure.

"You know I didn't come up with the trip in the first place right? If I could have taken you with I would have in a heartbeat but you know my dad all about the quality family time." She rolled her eyes, her dad works overseas in Europe and didn't get to come home that often so when he was Penny was always basically impossible to hang out with. "I would have been perfectly fine if we just stayed at home but nooooo we had to take a two month vacation traveling around the U.S. I mean if anything he should have taken us to Europe. That would have been much better." Penny sounded annoyed but I knew that deep down she really loved spending time with her dad. I knew that she was trying to down play it because my own dad ran out on me and mom when I was a baby, but I always liked to tease her just a bit.

"That sounds wonderful. Where did you all go?" Mrs. Vesper said most likely already gathering information in her brain about any place Penny might say.

"The usual I guess, Niagara Falls, the statue of liberty, the metropolitan museum, the Appellation Mountains," I kind of zoned out after that Penny made frequent calls to me this summer complaining about each place she was at and to get any updates on town.

"My gaze wonder to the rest of the library there were of course rows and rows of book shelfs to the right of the front desk and to the left was a common area with tables and computers. At the back of the common area where floor to ceiling windows letting in plenty of natural light. The library was easily the best place in the whole school and if you were lucky enough you could snag one of the comfy lounge chairs that sat right in the sun in the afternoon. There were very few people there besides Penny and herself there were about three other people a girl I recognized from one of my classes last year and two other boys that I didn't recognize. The boys were obviously brothers with the same shaggy brown hair, bright blue eyes and crocked smirk that played across their lips. They both wore faded orange shirts and cargo shorts. Defiantly twins I thought as I continued to watch them. Neither one of the two boys spoke but the way they were looking at each other told me that they were having a silent conversation. The boys seemed to be relaxed to the untrained eye but I can see one consistently jogging his leg and tapping his fingers like he couldn't stop moving. The other one was always looking around ready for anything. They seemed to be about our age but I didn't recognize them anywhere in town. As I was about to ask Mrs. Vesper if she knew them the bell rang signaling for first period.

"You two better get to class. Wouldn't want you to be late on the first day of school." She said as she waved us on. I shrugged my shoulders forgetting all about the twin boys as I walked to my first class with Penny. As the day dragged on I didn't see the twin boys again until lunch when I was back in the library with Penny. Mrs. Vesper was on her break so Penny and I sat down at the first row of computers and aimlessly logged on. As I waiting for the computer to load I glanced around the room finding the two boys again at the same table looking like they never moved. "Hey Penny do you know those two boys over there?" I asked as nodding to the boys.

She looked up narrowing her dark brown eyes, "Yeah they were in my history class. Travis and Connor Stoll. They just moved here this summer their juniors like us and I heard a rumor that they're from New York they moved here because they've been kicked out of so many schools that they couldn't find anywhere to take them in so they moved up here." Penny shrugged, "Why do you find them cute?" she said teasingly.

"Just interesting." I said as a shadow seemed to block the sun for a moment making the library seem cold and dark, suddenly both boys popped up from their chairs swiftly walking out of the library as the sun poked its head back out. I slipped from my chair telling Penny that'd I see her later as I followed the boys. I didn't know why I did but something told me to see what the two were up to. I followed them to the cafeteria where they stood by the entrance to get food. I watch them scan the area as they each slip into the hall way that lead to the science department. I followed hopping that I wouldn't get caught by any teachers as I copied the boys. I crept down the hall safe from the eyes of teachers. I looked in the first science room but there was nothing there. I heard the soft click of a door down the hall and tiptoed toward it. I peaked in the glass window and saw both boys. They were in Mr. Griffith's science room seeming to gather supplies and slip out of the emergency exit in the back. That I knew lead to the soccer, basketball and tennis courts. I continued on my way going against every reason I had to just let the boys get caught stealing and skipping school but that same nagging voice propelled me out of the door and into the soccer field.

At first I saw the boys standing in the middle of the soccer field with a woman as I snuck closer I saw that it was Mrs. Vesper. She had on the same white cardigan and floral pink and purple shirt and khaki pants. I could tell that it was her but there seemed to be something different about her. Her hair was down and were her eyes red? I blinked rapidly as I saw her shift her neck cracking it at an odd angle. Her legs seemed to wrap around her as she grow larger forming a trunk at her waist her hands turning into claws, scales shimmered on her arms, face and trunk as she ripped thought her clothes. She kept shifting and changing until she was at least eight feet tall on a single snake tail from the waist up she still looked like Mrs. Vesper. If Mrs. Vesper had glowing red eyes that were slit like a snakes and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

She hissed dragging out her s's, "Ssssssilly demigodsss I will destroy you and enjoy your bonesss for daysss to come."

"You've got that all wrong ugly woman if you think you're going to eat me." One of the boys said.

Mrs. Vesper laughed as she lunged at him. The boy jumped back barely missing her claws. "Whoa lady don't be so handy there's plenty of Connor to go around." He said drawing Mrs. Vesper's attention to him as he fled across the field. She swiped her hand at him again but the boy quickly torn off a brown leather bracelet off his wrist snapping it once before it grow and coiled into a bronze whip in his hands. Connor snapped it at the thing that was Mrs. Vesper. She hiss and backed away seeming to be scared of the thin bronze whip. Mrs. Vesper annoyed snatched the whip with her hand and lifting Connor into the air as he held on tight. As he swung from his whip I heard him yell, "Travis you ready?"

"You sssilly demigodsss you will never defeat me I am the great Dracaena you cannot win." She laughed.

"Connor now!" I heard as Connor picked up his swings and let go of the whip he fell tuck and rolled away as I heard "Ffaawhuum." Mrs. Vesper erupted in a wall of green flames they engulfed her and she exploded into a fine dust that was carried away by the summer breeze. The fire dissipated and there was no evidence that these two boys just blow up my librarian beside the slight smell of sulfur and smoke in the air. I stood there as I watched Connor high five his brother he picked up the whip that laid in the middle of the field and snapped it back into a bracelet. I wasn't until they turned back to the school that they noticed me standing a few hundred yards away. "You just." Was all I could get out before my vision turned cloudy and the world tilted on its axis. Not again not now I thought as everything went black.

I woke to bright harsh florescent light I blinked and slowly sat up. I rubbed my eyes and nearly jumped out of my skin as two identical pairs of blue eyes were starting at me. I gripped the sheets pulling them closer. "Who are you guys?" I said in disbelief that it was real what I saw on the field was real not a dream.

"I think we should be asking you that." The boy on the left said.

"And what exactly you saw?" said the boy on the right

I gulp feeling that being the center of attention to these boys was a very bad thing, "I don't know what you're talking about." I say in a rush as I glance around the room getting my bearings of where I was at. The nurse's room I sighed as I recognized the wall posters of the human body and the cat picture that said hang in there.

"We know you saw something so what was it?" the boy on the right said as the boy on the left walked to the counter and started opening drawers and cabinets seeming to not look for anything in particular.

"If you know I saw something then what did I see?" I said as I notice the boy by the counter slip something into his pocket. "Hey you can't just take that." I said.

"I don't think they're going to miss a bottle of Tylenol, Cupcake." The boy said rolling his eyes.

"Con put it back." The boy that was next to me, said. Conner sighed and took the bottle out of his pocket and tossed it back in to the cabinet and stood next to his brother. Both of them glaring at me like I was the next thing that they needed to destroy if I didn't tell them what I saw.

Suddenly feeling very trapped I throw off my blanket and stood facing the two boys my hands going to my hips and giving them both my best mom look. "You want to know what a saw? I saw two lunatics running around a soccer field while they killed my favorite librarian. So I think it's more like you two own me an explanation as to why she turned into a snake lady." I huffed glaring right back at the boys.

They seem to waver just a bit before Connor said, "You saw all that? Like everything?" he squinted his eyes leaning forward slightly.

"I'd have to be blind not to see that." I scoffed.

"Could it be possible?" Travis started. "No I mean." Conner stopped, "Impossible." Travis said as they looked at each other again having a silent conversation with their eyes only. After several seconds Travis finally said "Okay fine. I get it." breaking eye contact with Connor.

"What do you get? Can you two please tell me what is going on? You know what on second thought I don't want to know." I said throwing up my arms and marching passed the boys and out the door neither boy trying to stop me. I was so irritated that I almost forgot about my backpack in the library as I headed to my seventh period class apparently sleeping thought two class periods. I rushed down stairs and into the library it was still there by the computer I logged onto. I quickly grabbed it just as I was about to leave I noticed Mrs. June behind the counter instead of Mrs. Vesper only confirming what I saw this afternoon. My old librarian was a snake lady that wanted to eat two kids' bones. Don't think about it I told myself as I slipped out of the library and rushed to my class taking the stairs two at a time. Thankfully and embarrassingly the teacher and half the class know where I was, they all knew about my strange condition have all seen it at one point. I could practically hear the rumor mill turning as I imagined being carried into the nurse's office by the two new kids. I groaned as I took my seat in the back.

"Hey" I heard as I tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying, "Hey Melody is it true?" the voice whispered next to me. I looked over it was Sophie a bottled blond cheerleader that always got on my nerves.

"What?" I whispered back.

"That you faked an attack in front of the new Stoll boys went to the nurse's office just so you guys could have sex." She snickered.

"What? Ewe, no." I cringed at the thought. I mean yeah they were cute and had that whole bad boy vibe going for them but they were definitely not my type. I shifted my attention back to the teacher knowing that since I didn't have any juicy story for Sophie she would ignore me like usual. Seventh period ended quickly and headed to my last and favorite class of the day, gym. I hurriedly changed into my gym clothes eager to work off my extra tension of the day. I sat on the bleachers waiting for class to start a gaggle of girls walked out of the locker room laughing and made a B line for me. "So Mel I heard you were hooking up with the Stoll's in the nurse's office this afternoon." Andrea smile condescendingly.

"Look I don't know what you heard, or do I care but I was not hooking up with the Stoll brothers in the nurse's office." I said as clearly and loudly as possible.

"Oh come on Lemon Drop you're going to hurt my feelings I thought we had a moment in that office." Connor said as he plunked himself down right next to me throwing an arm around me.

I shoved it off my shoulder and stood, "Don't touch me Connor." I bit out marching back down the bleachers and started to stretch. I heard a couple of girls behind me oh. As I stretched I glanced back at Connor who seemed to be stunned as he sat on the bleachers making me smirk at him. He seemed to recover swiftly though as he jumped off the bleaches and came to my side again.

"How'd you know?" he asked simply sounding stunned.

"Know what?" I said annoyed.

"Know that it was me and not Travis? Travis's own girlfriend can barely tell us apart. So how'd you know? Was it the Lemon Drop? Man I need to stop giving everyone nicknames." Connor said sounding like he really didn't want to stop that habit.

I shrugged not really sure how I know that it was Connor and not his brother it was just this feeling I had, "I don't know? I had a fifty-fifty shot so I guessed." I sighed. "Where is your better half anyway?"

"Oh so he's the better half?" Connor said sounding offended.

"He did stop you from stealing." I explained.

"Oh Sweet Pea if you only knew what Trav. use to do before his girlfriend got a hold of him and turned him into a softy." Connor said a hint of resentment in his voice.

"Can you stop? My name is Melody not cupcake, or lemon drop or sweet pea, Mel-o-dy." I emphasized.

"Whatever you say pudding pie." He smirked. I was about to go off on him just as the coach blew his whistle for the start of class.

"Okay listen up were running the mile today so let's head out to the track." He hollered we all followed Coach Bell to the field. When we were outside coach explained that everyone needed to run around the track four times before we could go back inside. Most of the girls groaned but I tried my hair back eager to let off some steam. When coach blew his whistle I bolted. Easily running passed the jogging girls and half-hearted running boys. I made it to the lead person fast loving the feeling of my muscles pumping and flexing as I ran. I stayed in the lead for most of the run but as I was rounding the last turn on my third lap I noticed someone slowly creeping up on my right side. I glanced back and it was Connor not wanting to even look at him I picked up my pace, but he caught up to me as we rounded the first turn on the fourth lap.

"Is this the best you got Buttercup?" he said not even breaking a sweat as he raced ahead of me. I ground my teeth together. Okay you want to play it that way? I thought as I pushed myself to go faster ignoring the growing pain in my side until I was only right behind him and just as we were rounding the turn I sprinted passed him pulling the lead but Connor seemed to go faster to. We were neck and neck as we ran. I didn't know who made it passed Coach Bell first but when I was done I immediately dropped to the grass laughing holding my sides exhilarated at the rush of racing someone.

"Man that was great I can't remember that last time I ran just to run." I heard Connor say next to me in the grass. I laid back in the grass closing my eyes soaking up the sun's rays as I waited for my breathing to even out. "I have to agree there's nothing like running." I sat up starting my cool down stretches. Connor was lying next to me, eyes closed looking like he was about to fall asleep. "Hey can I ask you something?" I said nervously.

"What's that, Sugar Plum?" he yawned.

I rolled my eyes at yet another horrendous nickname, "its Melody please try to remember that in that thing you call a brain. Any way I was wondering if you could actually tell me what exactly I saw today at lunch." I said looking away from him glad that his eyes were closed.

Connor sighed sitting up, "Not here," he said as more students were finishing up their mile, "How about after school today? Travis could probably better explain it to you then I could." Connor said watching the other students.

"I can't today. You guys free tomorrow?" I said hopping really needing answers but knowing if I didn't go to my appointment my mother would kill me.

"Yeah we should be, there's not much to do in this town anyway." He shrugged. The rest of class was uneventful as we went back into the school and played basketball the rest of the class period. As the end of school came closer I dreaded at what I had to do next. I changed out of my gym clothes and trudged to my car.


End file.
